Vacuum cleaner



May 8, 1945. v. E. CARLSON.

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan. 31, 1941 3.Shee1;s-Sheet 1 INVENT OR.

May 8, 1945. .v. E. CARLSON 2,375,21

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan. 31, 1941- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. %/Ww7 ar/5w? y8,1945. V.E.CARLSON 2,375,212

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan. 51, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. .%r/70/7 Z (Zr/502? Patented May 8, 1945 VACUUM CLEANER Vernon E. Carlson, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 376,836

4 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and has particular reference to converters or couplers in the nature of attachments which are adapted to provide a means by which dusting and other tools may be operatively connected to a vacuum cleaner of the type comprising a casing having a floor cleaning nozzle with a surface coverin agitator or cleaning member associated there'- with. I

As illustrated in the embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration a vacuum cleaner having,a motor, suction creating means driven thereby, a port communicating with said suction creating means, a floor nozzle communicating with said suction creating means through said port, asurface cleaning agitator associated with said nozzle and a driving connection between said motor and said agitator for actuating the same is constructed and arranged so as to have associable therewith a converter in the nature of an attachment forming a coupling member having provisions at its outer end for connection to one end of a flexible hose, the other end of the hosebeing adapted to have connected to it, selectively, dusting or other cleaning tools. The converter, in the form illustrated, comprises a hollow cylindrical member having one end thereof formed to seat on the edge of said port and is provided with holding or securing means which are cooperable with a part of the cleaner for detachably holdingor clamping the converter in operative position with respect to said port, a means cooperative with said driving connection for rendering the same inoperative and operative and a latching mechanism which is adapted to releasably lock the converter in positions where the driving connection and the holding means are operative or inoperative.

A principal object of the invention is toprovide a novel and improved form of converter in'the nature of an attachment for vacuum cleaners.

'Another object of the invention is to provide a converter attachment for a vacuum cleaner which is constructed and arranged so as to be more dependable and more convenient in operation.

Another object of the invention isto provide a converter attachment'for a vacuum cleaner which is adapted to break the communication between the suction creating means and the floor nozzle of the vacuum cleaner; to break the driving connection between the driving means and the surface covering agitator of the vacuum cleaner, and to provide a coupling by'means of which dusting and cleaning tools may be readily connected to the cleaner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a converter attachment of the type herein disclosed with a means to prevent separation of the converter from the cleaner when the driving connection'between the motor thereof and the surface covering agitator is broken.

Another object of the invention is to provide a converter attachment of the character disclosed herein which is constructed and arranged so that the converter is locked to the cleaner before the driving connection between the motor of the cleaner and the surface covering agitator is broken.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification "taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which there are three sheets, and wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a portion of a suction cleaner with which a device embodying my invention may be associated;

, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and other parts shown in section,

illustrating one embodiment of the invention and the manner in which it is adapted to be associated with the suction cleaner illustrated in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the converter secured or locked to the cleaner;

Fig. 5 is a section through the-converter securing means taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the converter (of the side opposite to that shown in Figs. 2 and 4) with parts broken away and illustrating the latching mechanism with the converter locked in the position with the parts as illustrated in Fig. 2;

V Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view with parts broken away and showing the latching mechanism when the converter is in the position illustrated in Fig. 4; I

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Flg. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the converter in the position as shown in Fig. 4 butshow'n in cross-section so as to illustrate the relationship of the belt lifting means of the converter to the belt drive of the cleaner before the same is disconnected; a.

Fig. 10 is a cross-section taken along the line Iii-I0 of Fig. 9 looking in th direction of the arrows;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the relationshi of the parts of the converter to the cleaner when the belt of the cleaner has been lifted out of driving relationship with the shaft thereof;

Fig. 12 is a cross-section through the converter taken along the lin l2-|2 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the'arrows;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section through the converter taken along the line l3|3 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but taken along the line 14-44 of Fig. 11 and showing the relationship of the parts of the converter when the belt is out of driving engagement with the shaft;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the inner sleeve of the converter when the parts are arranged as illustrated in Fig. 13; and

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the inner sleeve of the converter when the parts are arranged as illustrated in Fig. 14.

means 26 through the port 28 thereof via the passageway provided by the inside of the sleeves 42 and 44.

The latching mechanism (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) comprises a bolt or dog 62 formed on a bar 64 which is supported for reciprocal movement in a guide formed internally of a hollow key 66. Th key 66 is rigidly secured at one side of the outer sleeve 42 by pins 68 and Hi and is arranged parallel to the axis thereof. Pin 18 extends through a slot 12 in the plate 64 and a spring 14 confined be- Referring now to Fig. 1, there s illustrated a part of a floor type vacuum cleaner which comprises a casing or body 28 movably supported by wheels 22 and having an electric motor 24, a suction creating means 26 driven thereby, an intake port 28 communicating with the suction creating means, a door nozzle 30 having a. surface covering agitator in the form of a rotary [brush 32 operatively associated with the mouth of nozzle 38 androtatably supported therein, an opening or aperture 34 in the forward ,wall of the nozzle 38 and aligned with the port 28, and a driving connection between the motor 24 and the brush 32 comprising a shaft 36 driven by the motor and a belt 38 arranged in driving relationship with the shaft 36 andwith a pulley portion formed on the rotary brush 32 for rotating the same. The aperture or opening 34 is closed by a removable plate or .cover 48 when the floor nozzle 38 and agitator 32 are in use and, as is well-known in the art, operation of the motor 24 will actuate the suction creating means 26 and the surface covering agitator 32 and induce a flow of dust and dirt laden air through the mouth of the nozzle 30, the port 28 and throu h the suction creating means 26 into a dust collecting receptacle (not shown) associated with the cleaner.

As is best illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10, a converter embodyin one form of my invention comprises an outer sleeve 42, an inner sleeve 44. a knob or collar 46 secured to the inner sleeve 44 so as to rotate therewith. a belt lifter or belt lifting finger 48 aflixed to the inner sleeve 44. a latch mechanism indicated generallv at 50 (Fig. 6) and a securing, clamping or holding means indicated generally at 52 (Fig. 10) for securing or holdin the converter in operative relationship with the cleaner.

The knob or collar 46 is secured to the inner sleeve 44 by means of several pins 54 and 56, the

latter of which extends through a 180 degree slot 58 formed in the outer sleeve 42 so as to limit the relative rotation between the inner and outer sleeves to 180 degrees of movement or approximately 1'77 degrees of rotation in a clockwise direction from the position in which the parts are illustrated in Fi 10. The knob 46 of the converter is provided with a groove 68 by means of which one end of a coupling member (not shown) on the end of a flexible hose'or cleaning tool (not shown) may be connected to the converter and thereby operatively connected to the cleaner, and more particularly to the suction creating tween pin 68 and one end of the plate 64 biases bolt 62 into a position tocngage a notch 16 formed in the periphery of collar 46 on the inside end thereof. A part of the plate 64 is formed as shown at 18 so as to provide a finger engaging portion against which pressure may be exerted for disengaging the bolt 62 from the notch 16. The collar 46 is also provided with another notch 88 (Fig. 3) for engagement with the bolt 62 when the collar 46 is rotated 180 degrees from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 6. When the latch mechanism is in the position illustrated in Fig. 6 the securin or holding means 52 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 and comprise a member 82 pivoted at 84 to the outside of the sleeve 42 andarranged within a chamber formed by a hollow ke 86 which is secured by pins 64 and 88 to the outside of the sleeve 42 on the side opposite to that on which the key 66 is secured. Themember 82 has one end or head 90 thereof formed to engage the inside of the front wall of the nozzle 30 (Fig; 4) above a slot 92 v (Fig. 30) formed therein on one side of the openposition in which it is illustrated in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 the collar 46 is formed internally and in one end thereof to provide a groove 86 extending through slightly more than degrees. The end wall 98 of the groove is adapted to bear against the end of the member 82 when the parts are arranged as illustrated in Fig. 2 for holding the head 91! of the securing or holding means in an inoperative position and the collar 48 is held from turning under the tension of the spring 94 by the dog 62 which is engaged in the notch 16 as illustrated in Fig. 6. Release of the dog 62 from the notch 16 in the manner heretofore explained will permit rotation of the collar 46 with respect to the sleeve 42 and will release the end of the member 82 so as to permit the head 98 thereof to move from the position on which it is shown in Fig. 2 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4. The end wall 99 of the groove 96 is adapted to bear against the end of member 82 when the sleeve 44 and the parts which rotate therewith are arranged in a position IBOdegree removed from .that in which they are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for holding the head 96 of the securing or holding means in an operative position and such parts are held against accidental rotation by the dog 62 which at such time is engaged in the notch 88. w

The key 86 as previously indicated is arranged on one side of the outer sleeve 42 parallel with the axis thereof and the key 68 is arranged on the opposite side of the outer sleeve 42' and parallel to the axis thereof. .The key 66 is adapted to project into a slot I82 similar to the slot 92 but arranged in the front wall of the nozzle 30 on the opposite side of the aperture 34. The keys 66 and 92 secured to the outside of the outer sleeve 42 provide a means for guiding the outer sleeve when it is inserted into th opening 34 to the port 28 and prevents relative rotation between the converter unit and the cleaner casing. The outside circumference of the sleeve 42 is just slightly less than the inside projected circumference of the opening 34 while the inner end of the sleeve 42 has approximately the same circumference as that of the port 28 so that the end of the sleeve 42 will seat on the port 28 and provide a fairly good fit and seal therebetween. The sleeves are cylindrical in shape and as shown in Fig. 13, the outer sleeve is relieved at its inner end on the bottom side thereof by belt relieving slots I04 and I06 which have a tongue I08 arin Figs. 11 and 14, the communication between the mouth of the nozzle 30 and the port 26 will be cut off by the sleeves 42 and 44 and the belt 38 will have been lifted out of driving relationship with the end of the shaft 36. The belt lifter 48 assumes the position with respect to the belt 38 and the shaft 36 substantially (but not exactly) as shown in Fig. 9 when the converter unit is initially inserted into the opening 34 and seated on the port 28.

In this initially inserted position the horizontally extending portion of finger 48, which is of slightly greater width than the diameter of shaft 36, simply projects between the strands of the ranged therebetween, the tongue extending between the strands of the belt 38 when the converter is inserted into the opening 34 and seated on the port 26. The inner sleeve 44 is cut away as illustrated in Figs. 13 to 16 so as to not interfere with the belt 38 when the converter, in the position in which the parts are shown in Fig. 13, is inserted into the opening 34 and seated on the port 28. The sleeve 44 is cut away so as to provide a laterally extending portion H which is adapted to overlie the slots I04 and I06 when the parts of the converter are moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 14 except for such portions of the slots I04 and I06 through which the belt 38 passes. For the sak of clarity the belt 38 has been shown somewhat smaller than it actually is relative to the converter and in practice the strands of the belt 38 are of such a size as to occupy substantially the entire portions of the slots I04 and I06 not covered by the portion H0 of the inner sleeve 44.

With the parts of the converter unit locked against movement in the position in which they are illustrated in Fig. 2 by the latching mechanism 50 thereof, and after removal of the plate 40, the sleeve '42 of the converter "is inserted through the opening 34 in such a manner that the key 86 will extend through the slot 92 and the key 66 will extend through the slot 102. In this position the axis of the sleeves 42 and 44 will coincide with the axis of the shaft 36. The

sleeve 42 is inserted as far as it will go or to the position as shown in Fig. 2 wherein the end of the sleeve 42 is seated on the port 28. During insertion the strands of the belt 38 will be accommodated within the slots I04 and I06 as shown in Fig. 13. Thereafter by releasing the latch 50 so as to disengage the dog 62 from the notch 16 it will be possible torotate the knob 46 and inner sleeve 44 which rotates therewith in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

The first several degrees of rotation of the knob 46 will free the member 82 and permit the head 90 thereof to engage the insid wall of the nozzle 30 above the slot 92 therein (Figs. 4 and thereby clamping the converter to the cleaner. Continued rotation of the knob 46 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 will move the inner sleeve 44 and the knob 46 to the positions illustrated in Figs. 11 and 14. In this position the bolt 62 of the latch mechanism 50 will engage the notch 80 in the collar 46 and hold the same against rotation until released which is accomplished in the manner previously described, that is, by applying pressure on the release I6 against tension of the spring 14. When the parts of the unit are arranged as illustrated belt 38 and does not break the driving relationship between the belt 38 and the shaft 36. When the parts of the converter have been moved from the aforesaid initially inserted position to the position in which the parts are shown in Figs. 4, 9 and 10, the converter unit will be clamped to the cleaner as previously described and the belt lifter 48 will be arranged as shown in Fig. 10 wherein it is engaging one strand of the belt 38 preparatory to disengaging the same from the shaft 36. However when the parts of the converter are moved to the position illustrated in Figs. 11 and 14 the end of the finger 46 will have moved through an arc and will have lifted the belt 36 out of driving relationship with the shaft 36 thereby resulting in breaking the driving connection between the shaft 36 and the agitator converter unit is in the position illustrated in Fig. 11, by connecting a. cleaning tool as previously described through the intermediary of a, flexible hose or suction conduit to the outer end of the converter, the entire suction effect of the suction creating means 26 will be communicated through the passageway formed. by the converter unit to such cleaning tool.

By releasing dog 62 from notch and reversing the operations just described the driving connection between the shaft 36 and the agitator 32 may be reestablished, the securing means which clamp the converter unit to the cleaner may be released, the parts of the converter unit may be locked in released position by the engaging of the dog 62 in the notch 16 and the converter unit may then be withdrawn from the cleaner leaving the nozzle 30 and agitator 32 in an operative position after replacement of the cover 40.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the detail of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

I claim:

l. A suctibn cleaner comprising a fan case having an air inlet opening, a fan rotatably mounted in said fan case and having ashaft extending through said opening, a suction nozzleoperative- 1y connected with the inlet opening of said fan case and having a normally closed converter opening therein, a brush mounted in the floor engaging mouth of said nozzle, a belt connecting the fan shaft with said brush for rotating the brush during the operation of said fan, and a removable converter coupling for attaching utility tools to said cleaner extended through said converter opening and adapted to traverse the path of said belt and have one end thereof seated within said inlet opening and including rotatable belt shifting means for lifting the belt free from the fanshaft, said converter coupling being provided with a member movable, upon rotation'of said belt shifting means relative to the lationship with the fan shaft.

2. A suction cleaner comprising a fan case having an air inlet opening, a fan rotatably mounted in said fan case and having a shaft extending through said opening, a suction nozzle operatively connected with the inlet opening of said fan case and having a normally closed converter opening therein, a brush mounted in the fioor engaging mouth of said nozzle, a belt connecting the fan shaft with said brush for rotating the brush during the operation of said fan, and a removable converter coupling for attaching utility tools to said cleaner extended through the converter opening and adapted to traverse the path of said belt and have one end thereof seated within said inlet opening and including rotatable belt shifting means for lifting the belt free from the fan shaft, saidconverter coupling being provided with a member movable, upon rotation of said belt shifting means relative to said coupling, to a position in which it is adapted to engage a part of said cleaner for removably securing said one end of said coupling within said inlet opening, said member and belt shifting means being disposed and arranged so that upon said rotation of said belt shifting means, said member will move to such position before said belt shifting means moves to a position wherein it is adapted to hold said belt out of driving relationship with the fan shaft, and detent means operable for holding said belt shifting means against rotation relative to said coupling when said belt shifting means is in a position in which it is adapted to hold the belt free of the fan shaft.

3. A suction cleaner comprising a fan case having an air inlet opening, a fan rotatably mounted in said fan case, a suction nozzle operatively connected with the inlet opening of said fan case and having a converter opening therein, a brush mounted in the floor engaging mouth of said nozzle, a belt connecting the fan shaft with said brush for rotating the brush during the operation of said fan, and a removable converter coupling for attaching utility tools to said cleaner comrelative to said hollow member when tachment therefrom, a detent carried by prising a hollow member extended through the adapted to traverse thev converter opening and path of said belt and have one end thereof connected with said inlet opening and including rotatable belt shifting means within said hollow member for lifting the belt free from the fan shaft, and detent means operable for selectively holding said belt shifting means against rotation said belt shifting means is in a position in which it is adapted to hold the belt free of the fan shaft, and in another position in which said coupling may be connected with-or disconnected from said inlet opening.

4. For use with a suction cleaner having a motor, a fan driven thereby and provided with an air intake port, a nozzle communicating with said port and having a surface cleaning member associated therewith, a shaft driven by said motor and projecting through said port, a belt drive be-- tween said shaft and said surface cleaning member: a converter attachment adapted to be connected with and disconnected from said port, said attachment comprising an air conducting member adapted to traverse the path of said belt and have one end thereof seated on said port in air conducting relationship therewith, a belt lifter member rotatably mounted on said air conducting member and engageable with said belt for lifting the same out of driving relationship with said shaft when said airconducting member is seated on said port, said belt lifter member having two positions relative to said air conducting member when the same is seated on said port, one of said positions being that in which said belt lifter member is free of said belt and shaft and the other of said positions being one in which said belt lifter member is holding said belt out of driving relationship with said shaft, 8. pair of spaced shoulders on said belt lifter member, a latch carried by said air conducting member and operable, when said air conducting member is seated on said port, to engage with a part of said cleaner for preventing separation of said converter atone of said members and a pair of spaced notches carried by the other of said members, said detent being selectively engageable with said notches to lock said belt lifter member in one or the other of its two positions relative to said air conducting member, in one of said positions one of said shoulders being engageable with a part of said latch to lock the same in its released position and in the other position, the other of said shoulders being engageable with said part of said latch to lock the same in its operative position.

VERNON E. oARLsoNj 

